Combined box and construction element with connecting means connectable from two directions

ABSTRACT

The invention pertains to a novel packing element which, after its primary use, can be combined with similar elements, to form a toy construction set.

United Siates Patent Veken 51March 13, 1973 [54] COMBINED BOX AND [56] References Cited CONSTRUCTION ELEMENT WITH CONNECTING MEANS CONNECTABLE UNTED STATES PATENTS FROM TWO DIRECTIONS 3,479,762 11/1969 Fischer ..46/16 X [76] Inventor: Germaine Van der Veken, Vryheid- FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Slaa Brussels Belg'um 366,230 1/1963 Switzerland ..46/26 [22] Filed: Dec. 22, 1970 438,121 11/1967 Switzer1and.. .....46/26 434,972 9/1935 Great Britain... .....46/25 PP 100,664 524,753 4 1955 Italy ..46/25 Primary ExaminerF. Barry Shay [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Att0mey Bac0n & Thomas Aug. 26, 1970 Belgium ..50404 [57 ABSTRACT [22] ..46/ll,4Z/6235h, The invention pertains to a novel p g element n-l which, after its primary use can be combined with [58] d of Search l 2 26/ 2; 2 0' similar elements, to form a toy construction set.

3 Claims,'l8 Drawing Figures F3 in FIG. 2;

COMBINED BOX AND CONSTRUCTION ELEMENT WITH CONNECTING MEANS CONNECTABLE FROM TWO DIRECTIONS The present invention relates to a new concept of packing which in addition to its packing function and possibly its dosing function also contributes to the promotion of the sale of the packed and/or dosed product.

Said sales promotion is based on the fact that the new packing element, after its normal use or after it has been emptied, constitutes a junction or composition element for setting up all kinds of constructions of a recreative or didactic nature, more specifically for children.

The packing element or box according to the invention can be used for the distribution of products of all kinds, e.g. for household use, such as coffee, tea, chocolate in powdered form or in the form of tablets, milk, sugar, cleansing products, meat extracts and the like, all kinds of culinary ingredients, components for the preparation of sauces, gravy, soup and the like; confectionery products; color products; perfumery and toilet articles; in general all products or objects in one piece, in parts, in powdered form or in a liquid state.

The packing elements according to the invention shall be realized of a resistant material, in general, but not exclusively, of plastic material that permits hermetic sealing of the product.

Such packing elements are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,624,954 in the name of the Applicant. In that patent the packing elements are characterized by the combination of an external body; enclosed in the latter a drawer, possibly partitioned; connected with this drawer, a manipulating member for displacing said drawer within said body; hollow and projecting parts integral with said body, said parts being such that each packing element can constitute a composition element by virtue of the cooperation of said hollow and projecting parts of juxtaposed packing elements.

The present invention relates to a particular embodiment of such packing elements and in particular to an improved shape of the external body whereby the cooperation between the composition elements is made very effective so as to ensure a solid construction.

In order that the characteristics of the present invention be more readily understood, by way of an example, without limiting the scope of the invention, several prefered embodiments will be described hereinafter with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a packing element as described in the aforesaid U.S. Pat., in the closed condition;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1, the packing element being shown in the open position;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view according to the arrow FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the external body of a packing element according to the invention;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the element shown in FIG. 4;

FIGS. 6 to 8 are views according to the arrows F,, F, and F respectively, in FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 shows a cross section according to the line IX-IX in FIG. 6; a

FIG. 10 showsa modified embodiment of the external packing element according to the invention, in perspective;

FIG. II is a front view of the element shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a view according to the arrow F in FIG. 1 1;

FIG. 13 shows another modified embodiment of the external packing element according to the invention, in perspective;

FIG. 14 is a front view of the element shown in FIG.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view according to the line XVXV in FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a view according to the arrow F in FIG.

FIG. 17 is a front view of a building construction, e.g. a fort, realized by connecting or joining together packing elements of the kind as shown in the preceding Figures;

FIG. 18 is a diagrammatic plan view of the construction shown in FIG. 17.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the packing element mainly comprises an outer body 1 which forms the easing or envelope of the packing, and a drawer 2, which may be divided into compartments and which is intended to hold the products to be packed.

The outer body 1 isrnainly constituted by a hollow body having the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, with one complete large lateral wall 3, whereas the opposite lateral wall consists of two parts 4 and 5,

' separated by a space 6.

The small lateral walls of the body 1, in the embodiment shown, also comprise two parts each, viz. 7-8 and 9-10 respectively, said parts being again separated by the space 6.

In each of said parts 7-8-9-10 of the small side walls of the body I openings are provided as shown in the drawing, 1 l-l 2-13-14-15, whereas on one of the short side walls, .in this case on part 8, a hook-shaped member 16 is provided.

The width of this centrally located hook-shaped element 16 is equal or somewhat smaller than the width of each of said openings 11 to 15, whereas the length of said element 16 is always smaller than the length of the smallest among the openings 11 to 15. It is also observed that the length of this element 16 is smaller than the width of the space 6 provided in the body.

' One end of said body 1 is completely open, whereas in the embodiment shown, at its other end said body 1 exhibits an elevated part 17 in which a guide ring or opening 18 is provided for guiding the internal packing element.

Preferably, as shown in the drawing, the external dimensions of said elevated part 17 are equal or slightly smaller than the inner dimensions of the outer body 1.

The inner element or drawer 2, that is used in cooperative relationship with said hollow body 1 generally shaped as a rectangular parallelepiped, mainly comprises a drawer 19 having one or more openings passing therethrough from end to end, two such openings 20 and 21 being shown in the drawing, so as to provide cavities of well determined volume.

In the embodiment shown the drawer proper 19 is provided with a guiding rod 22 which can slide in the aforesaid opening 18 in the parallelepiped-shaped body 1.

The width and the thicknessof the drawer 19 are such as to permit sliding motion against more or less heavy friction of said drawer within said parallelepipedshaped body I, particularly within the part delimited by the walls 5-8 and thereof, so as to permit hermetic sealing of one or more products, including liquid products contained in said drawer.

In this way a packing is obtained for all kinds of solid, powdered, liquid or other products, which can be contained within such packing by shaping and dimensioning the drawer in a way as appropriate.

It is a further particularity of the packing element of I the invention, that preferably the height of the parallelepiped-shaped outer body 1 is chosen to be an integral multiple of the width as well as the thickness of such element.

After the products contained in the packing according to the invention have been used up, i.e. after the packing has been emptied of its contents, the inner element or drawer can be separated from the outer body 1, and in this way a number of outer bodies and drawers can be collected.

It will then be possible, with the aid of said outer bodies, to realize all sorts of constructions, the shape and constructional features of said outer bodies being such as to permit these bodies to be joined together in the way of building blocks, with a view to realizing constructions of a recreative and/or didactic nature, particularly intended to be used by children. In fact, as illustrated in the drawings, these shapes and constructional features permit said outer elements 1 to be fitted one into the other and/or to be attached one to the other.

One embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS.

In this embodiment the packing element according to the invention has almost the same features as the one shown in FIGS. 1 to 3; on one of its small sides, however, this element is provided with three T-shaped projections 23-24-25,and in corresponding locations on the opposite side it has three 'T-shaped passages or openings 26-27-28 respectively.

Said projections 23 to 25 each mainly comprise a stem 29 and a head 30, whereas the openings 26-28 each comprise a wide part 31, the dimensions of which are slightly larger than those of the head 30, and a narrow part 32, the dimensions of which are slightly larger than those of the stems 29 of said projections 23-25, but smaller than those of said heads 30.

The uses and applications of said elements I are the same as those described before, however with this difference, that by using the improved elements according to the present invention, a stronger, more solid attachment is ensured.

In FIGS. 10 to 12 a modified box structure is shown which either by itself, or in combination with elements according to FIGS. 4 to 9, can be used e.g. as a corner element.

In this structure a packing element 1 is provided with three T-shaped projections 23-24-25 on its broad side, whereas in one of the adjacent sides there are slots 33-34-35 suitable for cooperation with the stems 29 of T-shaped projections 23-25 provided on another element 1. The wall having said T-shaped projections provided thereon, as well as the wall having said slots.

formed therein, are further provided with recesses 36-37, 38-39 and 40-41 respectively, each consisting of a combined aperture and slot communicating with one of said slots 33-34-35 respectively.

By this provision it is made possible to join two adjacent elements by lateral insertion of the heads 30 of the T-shaped projections 23 to 25 into the slots 33-34-35, respectively. For example, a pair of bodies 17 as shown in FIG. 10 may be connected by inserting projections 23-24-25 of one body downwardly through apertures 36-38-40 of another body, moving the projections downwardly along slots 37-39-41 by moving the bodies generally laterally with respect to one another, and then moving the projections into slots 33-34-35 by moving the bodies generally longitudinally relative to each other. The last mentioned movement engages heads 30 of the projections of the one body behind the interior walls of the other.

Another special element 1 is shown inFIGS. 13 to 16; this element is intended for use in conjunction with elements of the kind as shown in FIGS. 4 to 9 and with elements of the kind as shown in FIGS. 10 to 12. All parts already described in relation to the previous embodiments are again found in this more complicated shape.

It will be understood that for each of the shapes described above a left hand and a right hand model can be provided.

In FIG. 17 a construction, in this case a fort, is shown which is mainly composed of elements such as the packing element shown in FIGS. 4 to 9, the corner elements of this fort being suitably constituted by elements such as those shown in FIGS. 10 to 13, whereas the upper edge of such construction may be decorated by the use of elements such as the drawers of the packing element according to the invention.

FIG. 18 shows a diagrammatic plan view of such construction.

It will be understood that the presence of the aforesaid, spaces 6 permits fixing floors at suitable heights in such a construction.

In this way a very simple packing element for dosed products of all kinds is obtained which, after having been emptied of its contents can be used as a toy for children, more specifically as a building brick for the erection of all kinds of constructions, in which the presence of three hook-up elements on each side ensures the solidity of the constructions so obtained.

It will be readily understood, that the present invention is by no means limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described and shown in the accompanying drawings, but comprises all packing elements provided withsuch male and female hook-up elements as will permit said packing elements, after having been emptied of their contents, to be joined together with a view to realizing all kinds of building constructions, where such packing elements may be provided with righthand or left-hand symmetry.

What I claim is:

1. Combined box and toy including means whereby it is adapted to be interconnected with a similar combined box and toy and comprising: a hollow body with a plurality of side walls and a removable drawer with at least one open cavity and adapted to slide in said body, said body in a predetermined position of said sliding being adapted to close said cavity, said means including at least one projection (23) carried by one of said side walls and at least one first slot (34) through another of said side walls, said projection being adapted to be hooked in the first slot in the other side wall of said similar combined box and toy, characterized in that said means further include at least one aperture (38) through a side wall adjacent said other side wall and a second slot (39) extending through said other side wall perpendicularly from said first slot (34) and interconnecting said first slot (34) and said aperture (38), and in that said projection is T-shaped, whereby a pair of said bodies may be detatchably connected together by inserting the T-shaped projection of one body into the aperture of the other body and moving the projection along the second slot of the other body by moving the bodies generally laterally, one with respect to the other, and then moving the projection from the second slot and into the first slot of the other body by moving the bodies generally longitudinally, one with respect to the other, to thereby engage the head of said T-shaped projection behind the interior walls of said other body.

2. Combined box and toy according to claim 1, characterized in that said body has a substantially rectangular cross-section with four side walls.

3. Combined box and toy according to claim 1, characterized in that said body has a substantially L- shaped cross-section with two wider outer side walls, two narrower outer side walls and two narrower inner side walls, said one and other side walls being constituted by a first and a second of said two narrow outer side walls respectively and said adjacent side wall being constituted by the one of said two inner walls which is adjacent said second narrower outer side wall. 

1. Combined box and toy including means whereby it is adapted to be interconnected with a similar combined box and toy and comprising: a hollow body with a plurality of side walls and a removable drawer with at least one open cavity and adapted to slide in said body, said body in a predetermined position of said sliding being adapted to close said cavity, said means including at least one projection (23) carried by one of said side walls and at least one first slot (34) through another of said side walls, said projection being adapted to be hooked in the first slot in the other side wall of said similar combined box and toy, characterized in that said means further include at least one aperture (38) through a side wall adjacent said other side wall and a second slot (39) extending through said other side wall perpendicularly from said first slot (34) and interconnecting said first slot (34) and said aperture (38), and in that said projection is T-shaped, whereby a pair of said bodies may be detatchably connected together by inserting the T-shaped projection of one body into the aperture of the other body and moving the projection along the second slot of the other body by moving the bodies generally laterally, one with respect to the other, and then moving the projection from the second slot and into the first slot of the other body by moving the bodies generally longitudinally, one with respect to the other, to thereby engage the head of said T-shaped projection behind the interior walls of said other body.
 1. Combined box and toy including means whereby it is adapted to be interconnected with a similar combined box and toy and comprising: a hollow body with a plurality of side walls and a removable drawer with at least one open cavity and adapted to slide in said body, said body in a predetermined position of said sliding being adapted to close said cavity, said means including at least one projection (23) carried by one of said side walls and at least one first slot (34) through another of said side walls, said projection being adapted to be hooked in the first slot in the other side wall of said similar combined box and toy, characterized in that said means further include at least one aperture (38) through a side wall adjacent said other side wall and a second slot (39) extending through said other side wall perpendicularly from said first slot (34) and interconnecting said first slot (34) and said aperture (38), and in that said projection is T-shaped, whereby a pair of said bodies may be detatchably connected together by inserting the T-shaped projection of one body into the aperture of the other body and moving the projection along the second slot of the other body by moving the bodies generally laterally, one with respect to the other, and then moving the projection from the second slot and into the first slot of the other body by moving the bodies generally longitudinally, one with respect to the other, to thereby engage the head of said T-shaped projection behind the interior walls of said other body.
 2. Combined box and toy according to claim 1, characterized in that said body has a substantially rectangular cross-section with four side walls. 